Wire type printing machine



4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

v John JJqyla/Imt,

March 24, 1953 J. J. HYLAND WIRE TYPE PRINTING MACHINE Filed April 20, 1949 J. J. HYLAND WIRE TYPE PRINTING MACHINE March 24, 1953 4 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 20, 1949 IN VEN TOR. Jalm 1.11 101% March 24, 1953 J. J. H-YLAND 2,632,336

WIRE TYPE PRINTING MACHINE I Filed'April 20, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. Jal zn J. Byland aw QM ZTIWEHHT March 24, 1953 J. J. HYLAND 2 2,

WIRE TYPE PRINTING MACHINE Filed April 20, 1949 4 Sheeis-SheotA v INVENTOR. Jalm .Lflylamt,

JTTOBJWK Patented Mar. 24, 1953 WIRE TYPE PRINTING MACHINE John J. Hyland, Brooklyn, N, Y., assignor, by

memo assignments, to Burroughs Adding Machine Company, a corporation of Michigan Application April '20, 1949, Serial No. 88,527

.8 Claims. (01. 101 -93) This invention relates to improvements in printing machines and has particular reference to a machine where one or more print heads, each comprising a plurality of printing elements ca pable of selection in various combinations to form different characters, are employed to print characters identified by the selected combinations.

In the co-pending application of W. Wockenfuss and H. A. Speh, filed March 8, 1949, Serial No. 80,136, there is disclosed a machine wherein the printing elements of a print head are selectively controlled in various combinations to form different characters and in which the printing of any character by a selected combination of said elements results from the advancement thereof from a non-print to a print position.

In accordance with the present invention, it is proposed to accomplish the printing of a character by the selection and subsequent withdrawal of a combination of printing elements from print to non-print position while permitting the remaining elements to stay in print position to form. the character to be printed.

The inventive idea involved is capable of receiving a variety of expressions one of which, for purposes of illustration, is shown in the accompanying drawings; but it is to be expressly understood that said drawings are employed merely to facilitate the description of the invention as a whole and not to define the limits thereof, reference being bad to the appended claims for this pur ose.

In the drawings;

Fig. 1 is a fragm ntary plan view, partlyb oken away, of a printing machine constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 i a fragmentary longitudinal section taken substantially n the line 22 of Fig. 1, partially illustrating one of the print sections which includes two print heads arranged aloneside one another and that combine with the print heads of the other sections to form a single row of heads;

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view of one of the print heads with the Various printing elements thereof indicated by numerals;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of a print head illustrating all of the printing elements in a projected or printing position which they assume prior to the selection and withdrawal of certain of them to non-print position to form a character by means of those that remain. in print position;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing certain of the printing elements withdrawn to form the letter I; and

Figs. 6 and '7, when combined, illustrate .diagrammatically the .control circuits for one .of the print heads by which selection of the printing elements thereof to form any particular char actor is accomplished in accordance with the analysis of a punched card or similar statistical record.

structurally, the machine of the present inven tion is shown in Figs. 1 to 5 as comprising a plurality of individual print sections, generally indicated at it, in the form of substantially rectangular and narrow panels which are vertically arranged in abutting relation and supported be tween suitable side frame plates l5 secured together on opposite sides of the machine by the tie rods H, The front of each panel is constituted by a block IQ of any suitable synthetic resin capable of being molded and having its top and bottom edges converging forwardly so as to impart a generally tapered formation to said block with it forward extremity terminating in 2. rectangular end portion 2 0 which, along with similar portions of the other blocks .of the various panels,

is freely mounted in a support 2! extending across the front of the machine and attached to the frame plate l5 thereof in any suitable manner. Brackets 23 secure the rear portion of each block is to the recessed heads 24 at the upper and lower front corners of the main section of each panel i8, and upper and lower angle straps 25 secured to the plates l5 and extending across the front of the machine are engaged by the heads 24 of all the panels to thereby assist in retaining the latter in operative position.

As shown in Fig. 1, the end portion 2t .of each block l9 contains two print heads 29 arranged alongside each other so that the heads of the various blocks [9 combine to provide for one line of printing. Each head consists of .a group of thirty -five printing elements 3.1!, as shown in Figs. ,3 to 5, and each group is indicated in the block l 9 (Fig. 2) by two dotted lines. Each element .30 is in the form of a wire of very small cross sectional area and extends through a guide tube 3| molded in the block I!) so that the wire will have slight reciprocating movement therein, and said a manner to later appear, to advance in a rear. ward direction to operative position where it will strike a sheet 33 between which and the wires in print position is interposed a carbon strip 34 which then causes said wires to impress the desired character upon said sheet which is fed past the print heads by any well known means. Fig. 5

illustrates the letter I as being formed and, by

reference to Fig. 3, it will be seen that in order to form said letter all wires 33 are withdrawn except those numbered 2, 3, e, 8, 13, 18, 23, 28, 32, 33 and 34.

In the main portion of each panel i8, as shown in Fig. 2, each of the two groups of wires 38 has a supporting unit forming a part of said panel and consisting of upper and lower pairs of spaced supporting bars 35, the inner opposed edges of which converge rearwardly so as to presentinclined surfaces for a purpose to presently appear. Joining said bars 36 of each supporting unit are equi-distantly spaced guide plates 37 through i which extend the rear portions of the printing elements, which portions are in the form of rods Theforward ends of said rods l are slidable in the guide plates 32 and are affixed to the rear ends of the wires 35 that project from the guides 3| where the latter are secured in the plate 32, and thus said rods 4| become part of the printing elements. At the junction of the rods 2! with their wires 35, they are provided with enlargements 43 the purpose of which will later appear.

Rearwardly of the plate 42, each r-od M is further provided with a stop collar 59 between which and saidplate is interposed a spring 44 which forms part of a mechanism for cyclically controlling the reciprocating movement of the printing element group are arranged in three vertical rows, the two outer ones containing twelve elementseach and the third or intermediate row containing eleven elements, thus making thirty-five elements in all with the center one in the intermediate row being of greatest length and positioned coincidental- 1y with the center line of the supporting unit, as described in said application. The four elements shown in full lines in Fig. 2 are the uppermost in the two outer columns referred to, the two shortest elements having their rear ends terminating at 39 just rearwardly of the front guide plate 3'! and the other two elements directly in back of the first two having their rear ends terminating at 413 just to the rear of the second guide plate 31.

The reciprocatory movement of each of the printing elements is controlled by an electromagnetic device 38 mounted upon the inclined surface of one of the two pairs of bars 06 and between two adjacent guide plates 3? as shown in the lower portion of Fig. 2, those devices 38 in the upper their respective rods 6 I.

portion being omitted to avoid duplication of illustration. By having the surfaces of the bars 36 inclined it will be apparent that as the printing elements progressively increase in length to the right and approach the center line of the supporting unit, the devices 38 will also be positioned so as to progressively approach said center line and thus be brought into cooperative relation with As shown in Fig. 2, the two upper and lower devices 33 to the left are as sociated respectively with the rods ii forming a part of the upper and lowermost printing elements in one of the outer vertical columns, while the two devices 38 to the right are likewise associated with the rods ll of the upper and lowermost printing elements in the other outer vertical column of printing elements which are directly behind the first named elements. Also, the upper left hand and lower right hand devices 38 are shown in their energized condition which will permit their respective printing elements to be retracted to non-print position under the control of the springs M, while the other two devices '38 are shown ole-energized so as to prevent rearward movement of their respective printing elements and therefore retain them in print position. To thus control the printing elements, each device 38 has a spring controlled armature M which constitutes a latch for its associated printing element. When a device 38 is de-energized a shoulder 49 formed on the armature latch All engages behind the stop collar 51! on its associated rod M so as to retain the printing element in print position, and when said device is energized said shoulder is disengaged from its collar to permit the spring 44 to urge the printing element rearwardly to non-print position, this latter movement being limited by engagement of the enlargement 43 with the restoring bail 53 shown in Fig. 2 in its rear or dwell position. Said bail assumes this dwell position at the beginning of a print cycle when all of the devices 38 in the various panels are de-enersized to maintain the printing elements of the various heads in their print position. After 56- lective and simultaneous energization of devices 38 in all of the print sections, which permits their respective printing elements to be retracted from print position, and the concomitant operation of the print hammers 22 to effect printing, the bail 53 in each print section is advanced so as to restore to print position those printing elements which have been retracted, this restoration being accomplished by engagement of the bail with the enlargements 43 of the various retracted printing elements. Immediately thereafter, the bail 53 is restored to its dwell position. In this manner the bail 53 cooperates with the springs 44 to provide the means for controlling the cyclic operation of the printing elements. Each ball 53 extends between the heads 24 of its associated panel and is substantially the width thereof and the slight reciprocating movement to be imparted to the bail between the plates 32 and i2 is accomplished by providing the upper and lower ends of said bail with recessed blocks 54 slidable in the heads 2 Each block 54 receives in its recess one end of a bell'crank 55 rockingly supported in the head 24, and these bell cranks for the bails 53' of the various print sections of the machine are simultaneously Operated to reciprocate said bails by means of any desired mechanism common to the bell cranks, such as the cam operated mechanism disclosed in the aforesaid co-pending application.

The mechanism by which the print hammers 22 are controlled so as to operate in timed relation to the formation or characters by the withdrawal of selected" elements to non-print positi n. is mounted in iront of the row of, print heads, 29 and comprises a supporting frame .56, carrying a guide casing -51 in which the hammers 22,, one :for each. print head, are s-lidably disposed and heldin alignment with their respective heads by the combs 55 arranged along the front and rear edges of said casing. removable top plate 59 encloses the coil springs .66 which engage abutmcnts 6:! on the hammers 22 so as to project the-m rear- Ward-1y to print position when selected printing elements start their movements toward non-print position. At the end of each print. hammer re- .motefrom the abutment iii, the same is provided on its upper edge with two spaced abutments 52 and 63 and in its lower edge with a recess 64. The hammers. 22 are alternately controlled .irom alcove and below by the armature. latches c5 of the magnets 56 supported in the frame 5t. Thus, the hammer shown in Fig. and partly broken away to show the next adjacent hammer, is controlled by the latch 65 of the lower magnet in cooperation with the recess 64 in the lower edge of the hammer, while saidnext adjacent hammer V is similarly controlled by the latch 65 of the upp r magnet in cooperation with the abutment 62 of the latter hammer. When the ma nets 6:6 ar tie-energized, their latches assume the position shown, :but if and. when said magnets are enersized their armature latches will be disengaged from the hammers will then be impelled rearwardly to print positionby the springs 60.. Immediately upon completing the printing operation by the engagement of the hammers with the sheet said hammers are returned to their latched positions by a common restoring hails? pivotally mounted in the frame 5.6 so that when actuated it will engage the .abutments .83 of all the operatedhammers and restore them to the position shown. Any suitable means such as a rotating cam 6.8 may be utilized to control the hail'fi'l and said .ca-m may be operated by the same drive, shown in said co-pcnding application, which simultaneously actuates the bails es of th various print sections.

Reference is now had to Figs. :6 and '7 which illustrate the circuits that selectively control the thirty-five electromagnetic devices '33 allotted to the printing elements or one print head, the circuits for the remaining print heads being duplisates of those shown. The withdrawal from print position of: selected groups of printine elements so as to form various characters by-those elements remaining in print position, is cheated by the selective energization of devices 313 in, yarious combinations and in accordance with any desired code such as a well known two-hole combinational code wherein twelve index point positions are provided in each column of a, card. The first three of said positions to be sensed in a column for an'alphabetical character are usually deslge hated as #12, #11 and #0 and are the zoning points assigned, respectively, to the letters AI, J-R and $43, each of said letters having :iiurther assigned thereto in its column one of the other numerical index points 1 to.9.

In this code and in the system herein shown. the character 0, where it is employed to designate the letter or a zero, is formed by the energizaticn of the same group of devices 38 but, as will be seen in the course of description, the selection of said group for the printing of a zero is accomplished differently for the letter. The coils of said devices each have one terminal thereof joined to a common bus bar :59. connected tea conductor .l-il,andthe otherterminaltherecftca .d al conductor 1 I, and said conductor 0. is connected to a bus. .112. to which all; s m lar conductors of the variousprint heads are Joined. A record card iced mechanism (not shown) of any desired construction successively floo cards to a sensing device comprising a contac roll is and a series of brushes 4, o e for each card c l mn, which progressiv ly ense punched index: points in t e card oclurmi as the card fcd. between the roll and brushes, and. a distr hllrtor 15 operates in synchronisrn the eed of the cards so. that the wiper th re f will successively engage its twelve co tacts simultaneously w th the sensing of the corresponding index points inv the card co.lumnsv the ontacts of said distributor heinsmult plied to theother print heads.

Assigned to the index point positions #12, #11 and so in each column of a record card are the three zoning Thyratrons .73., i1 and 8 of standard construction which have the characteristics of remaining conductive, once they are fired, until the voltage is removed from the plate elements thereof. The. plate elements of said tubes are connected to associated zoning relay i9. 83 and Bi and the firing of any one of said tubes by the sensi g of a hole at a zonin index point position in the card simultaneously with the engagement of the wiser of the distributor 15 with a contac corresponding to said point, determines the Zone of the alpha etical character to be printed. Thus, when he tube it is :made conductive through the rush M. and the distributor 15, its relay :5 will be energized and remain so as long as the tube is conductive. hi energizing, the relay 7:9 closes i s nine contacts designated A to I .(Fig. 6) thereby determining that the character to be printed is contained within this group. In :the same manner, energization of relay 30 or 8| estahlishes that the character to be printed is in the .J to B or the S to .2 groups. The contacts A to Z oi the various zones are connected to di i- .ierent groups of the conductors 'lii leading to the electromagnetic devices 38 so that when final selection of any contact in anyone of said zones is made by the sensing of the second hole in .a card column, as will later appear, the devices 38 assigned to said contact will be energized and their respective printing elements will he re.- itracted to non-print position, leaving those elements in print position which are to form the desired characten The fourth zoning relay 8:2

is assigned to the printing of the numerals 1 to 9,

but if either one of the tubes '16, H or '78 isfired, a relay :33 multiplied to the cathode elements of said tubes is energized and, by opening its hack: contact 84, will disconnect relay 32 from'the power supply iii; (Fig. .6) On the other hand, if no zoning tube is fired to effect the printing of an alphabetical character due to the failure of the sensing brush H to sense a hole at any one of the zoning index points, relay 62 will be energized to close its group of contacts '1 to 9 shown at the right of Fig. Ito await the. sensing of a hole n a card column desi nating the particular numoral to. be printed.

With any one of the tubes to and J8 rendered conductive and its corresponding set of alphahetical contacts closed, thesecond hole of the twe hole .ccmbination'in a card column is then sensed by its brush is and, thr0ugh the distributor 7.5,, this results in the firing of one of the nine Thyra trons 3.6 si-identihcd by the sensedhols.

sets of alphabetical contacts in the selected zone v to the group of devices 38 which are to control the withdrawal from print position of those printing elements not to be utilized in the printing of the desired alphabetical character.

As one specific example, it will be assumed that the letter I is to be printed. The corresponding contact for this letter is in the first zone controlled by the zoning Thyratron l6 and relay l9, and the conductors 95 leading from the contact I are connected, through a group of conductors 1 I, to twenty-four devices 38 indicated in Figs. 3 and 7 by the numerals l, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31 and 35 so that said devices will be energized to effect withdrawal of their respective printing elements and leave in print position the eleven remaining elements which will form the letter I. Rectifiers 95 are interjected in all the circuit groups leading from the various alphabetical and numerical contacts controlled by the relays i8, 80 and 8! so as 'to prevent any possible shunting effect of unrelated circuit groups which may have multiple connections to various conductors l i. In a similar manner, the conductors leading from the thirty-four other alphabetical and numerical contacts are variously connected through groups of conductors H to the devices 38 which will control the withdrawal of all the necessary printing elements to form the characters individual to results in the firing of the Thyratrons l6 and 94.

Immediately upon entry of the leading edge of the card between the roll i3 and brush Hi, the code holding cam cl (Fig. '7) closes its contact and remains in this condition throughout the entire operating cycle including the printing of the selected character. At the beginning of the cycle, the three zoning Thyratrons 16 to 18 and the nine numeric Thyratrons 85 to 94 are not conductive due to the application of a negative bias from the power source 85 through the bridge network of each tube to the grid thereof and, upon closure of the contact of holding cam cl, positive voltage is applied to the plate elements of the tubes 16 to 18 from the source 85 and over the conductor 91, through the contact of said cam, and the conductor 98 connected to the bus 99 common to all the print heads.

position'#12, #11 and and, simultaneously therewith, the wiper of the distributor successively engages contacts corresponding to said points. Since the index point #12 is punched for the letter I, contact by the brush '14 will be made with the roll 13 as the hole is sensed and, with the distributor of wiper simultaneously engaging its contact #12, zero potential from the intermedi-v The brush [4 now starts to successively sensethe index point over the conductor 91, through the cam cl, the conductor 98, the windings of relays 1B and 83 connected, respectively, to the plate and cathode elements of tube 16, and then over the conductor Hill to the intermediate terminal of the source 85. Said relay "(9 and 83 will be energized in this circuit and held so by the cam cl. Energization of relay 83 opens its back contact 84 to thereby disconnect the positive terminal of the source 85 from the winding of the numerical zoning relay 82 and thus prevents the latter from closing its contacts 1 to 9. Energization of relay I9 closes its group of contacts A-I and the zone in which appears the character to be printed is now selected.

The card being analyzed now passes its #11 and #0 index points under the brush it but, since no hole is punched at either of said points, the tubes Ti and 18 are not fired and, consequently, the other two sets of alphabetical zone contacts of relays ill and 8! remain open. Immediately upon completion of the sensing of the three zoning points on the card, the numeric tube holding cam 02 is operated to close its contact to thereby prepare a holding circuit for any one of the subsequently fired numerical tubes 35 to as, said circuit extending from the positive terminal of source 85 over the conductor 91, through the contact of cam c2, and the conductor H38 connected to the bus I81 to which all similar conductors of the circuits for the remaining print heads are joined, said conductor IE6 being connected through a resistance to the plate element of each of said numeric tubes. Said cam c2 maintains its contact closed throughout the sensing of all nine numerical index points, and opens said contact directly after the restoring bail 53 advances those printing elements which have been retracted by the energization of their respective devices 38.

Immediately upon conclusion of the sensing of the Zoning index points and before the brush [4 starts to sense the numerical index points, the numeric zone holding cam 03 (Fig. 6) closes its contact and holds it closed, for a purpose which will later appear, until the printing operation is completed. The brush 14 now senses the hole punched in the #9 index point which completes the combinational code for the letter I. When hole #9 is sensed in the card, the wiper of the distributor 15 also engages its #9 contact, thereby connecting zero potential from the source 85 over the conductor I00, the wiper of said distributor and its #9 contact, conductor )8 to one midpoint of the bridge network of the tube 94, while the other midpoint of said network is connected to said potential over the conductor I00, the roll 13 and brush 14, and the conductors I05 and H39, thus raising the grid voltage of said tube to zero and causing the same to'flre. The tube is maintained conductive from the intermediate terminal of source '85 through the winding of relay llli, tube 94 and its holding resistor, the common conductor H06, and the contact of cam 02 to the positive terminal of said source 85. Relay Ill! is energized by the current flowing from the plate of said tube 94 and its energization is utilized in connection with the elimination of zeros to the left of a significant ifiigure, as described in said co-pending applicaion.

Upon completion of the sensing of the hole at the #9 index point position, the print cam 04 closes to establish circuits from the positive terminal of the source 85 for the energization of the twenty-four previously mentioned electromagnetic devices 38 whose associated printing aeeasse elements are to be retracted while the remaining eleven printing elements whose devices 38 are not energized are maintained in their print positions to form the letter I. Said circuits for energizing the devices 33 extend from the positive terminal of source 35 over the conductor 97, the contact of cam c4, conductor #8 and bus 69, the windings of the twenty-four devices 38, the conductors H connected to said windings, the conductors Q5, the contact I of the zoning relay l9, tube 9 3 and through the winding of relay H to the intermediate terminal of the source 85'. All of said devices as are now energized to attract their armature latches i! to thus remove the shoulders 19 thereof from the path of the collars d of their respective printing elements to thereby permit the springs t4 engaging said collars to expand and thus retract twenty-four printing elements to their non-print positions. The armature latches cf the eleven devices 38 which form the letter I remain in their ole-energized positions so as to prevent retraction of the associated printing elements and the foregoing operation takes place while the bail 53 is in its rearward or dwell position shown in Fig. 2. At the same instant that the above described circuits through the contact I, tube 3 3 and relay Ht are closed, a parallel circuit from said contact is closed over the common conductor 522 through winding of the print hammer magnet 66 and the conductor E23 to the intermediate terminal of the source 85. As previously described, energization of said magnet releases the associated print hammer so that it will be projected to print the letter I on the sheet 33, the slight interval of time consumed in this movement of the hammer being sufficient for the twenty-four printing elements to be retracted enough so that they will not interfere with the proper printing of the character by those elements which remain in print position. Upon restoration of the print hammer following its printing operation, the ball 53 then advances to restore the retracted printing elements to print position preparatory to another selection in the next operating cycle. It will be obvious that if no hole is sensed in a card column, the print hammer magnet will not be energized to release its hammer and therefore no printing will occur.

In the event that no one of the three zoning tubes 76 to 78 is fired due to the failure of the brush it to sense a hole in the three zoning points on a card, indicating that a, numerical character is to be printed, it will be apparent from the foregoing that relay 83 connected to the cathode elements of said tubes will not be energized and therefore its back contact 84 will remain closed. Hence, as soon as the cams cl and 03 close their contacts, an energizing circuit for the numerical zoning relay 82 will be established extending rom the source 85 through the conductor 91, the contact of cam cl, conductor 98, winding of relay 82, back contact 8 1 of relay 33, the conductor E03, and the contact of cam 03 to the intermediate terminal of source 85. Upon energization of relay 32 in this circuit, its group of numerical contacts 1 to 9 are closed and await the sensing of the hole punched in one of the numerical index points in the card column. When this occurs, zero potential will be applied to the grid of one of the tubes 86 to 94, depending upon which hole is sensed, through the brush M and distributor is in a manner which will now be understood. Said tube will then fire and remain conductive through the contact of cam 02 and conductor H16, as previously described. Upon closure of the print cam 04 at the conclusion of the sensing of the last index point position of a card, energizing circuits will be established for the electromagnetic devices 38 which are to be retracted to non-print position so that those printing elements remaining in print position will form the desired. numerical character. Said circuits extend, as previously described, through said cam 04, the windings of the devices 38 which are to be energized and over the conductors ll connected to the numerical contact of relay 82 that extends to the plate elements of the fired tube, and from thence the circuit extends through the winding of relay iii) to the intermediate terminal of the source 85. As previously described, energi'zation of the selected group of devices 38 permits retraction of their respective printing elements to nonprint position, whereupon the print hammer is advanced to print the numeral formed by those printing elements which remain in print position.

With respect to the character 0, it has been previously mentioned that the same is formed by the energization of the same group of electromagnetic devices 38 whether said character is to indicate a letter or a zero, but that the selection of said group to print the letter is accomplished difierently than when a zero is to be printed. This difference originates in the code punched in a card column and the consequent firing of different thyratrons during the course of the analysis of said column. The letter is formed by punching the index points #11 and #6, while for a zero, only the zoning index point #0 is punched. From the foregoing description it will now be understood that the group or" conductors connected to the contact it controlled by the zoning relay 88 and selected for the energization of the devices 38 which control the printing of the letter O, is accomplished by the firing of the zoning tube Ti and the numerical tube at. When only the #0 index point position is punched in the card column, indicating that a zero is to be printed, only the zoning tube 18 is fired and, at the conclusion of the sensing of said column, the zero print cam 05 (Fig. 6) is closed. Firing of the tube 18 energizes the zoning may at in series therewith, ClOSlIlg its contacts S to 2, but this will have no efiect since none of the numerical tubes 86; to 94 is fired to extend the circuits for the devices 38 through any one of the latter tubes. However, the closure of the additional contact I I I (Fig. 6) of relay 8i will connect the conductor l '2' leading from said contact to the conductor to which the ti contact of said relay is joined, and this will extend the circuits for the energization of the devices 38-, which are to be retract'ed to form the character o, from the conductor I through the back contact lie of relay HG which is not energized at this time due to the nonconductive condition of all the tubes 86 to 9 3, and thence over the conductor lid, plug H5 in the full line position of Fig. 5, and the contact of the zero print cam 05 to the intermediate terminal of the source 85, whereupon the selected devices 38 to be withdrawn from print position will be energized. At the conclusion of any printing operation and when the bail 53 has been advanced to return the retracted printing elements to print position and immediately thereafter restored to its dwell position, all five of the control cams heretofore described open their contacts to de-energize all devices 38 and relays in the various circuits, and. again render all thyratrons ll non-conductive preparatory to the next card analysis.

What is claimed is:

1. In a printing machine, a plurality of printing elements having print and non-print positions, said elements being grouped to form different characters and selectively controlled in various combinations each capable of printing one of said characters, means to move said printing elements from print to non-print position, a latch device cooperating with each printing element to prevent movement thereof from print position, means to select a combination of said printing elements for movement to non-print position, means responsive to the last named means to renderineffective the latch devices associated with the printing elements of said combination to thereby transfer control of the latter elements to said moving means, and means thereafter operable to print a character represented by the printin elements which remain in print position.

2. In a printing machine, a plurality of printing elements having print and non-print positions, said elements being grouped to form different characters and selectively controlled in various combinations each capable of printing one of said characters, means to move said printing elements from print to non-print position, a latch device cooperating with each printing element to prevent movement thereof from print position, means to select a combination of said printing elements for movement to non-print position, means responsive to the last named means to render ineffective the latch devices associated with the printing elements of said combination to thereby transfer control of the latter elements to said moving means, and a print hammer cooperating with the printing elements remaining in print position to print a character subsequent to the movement of said selected combination of printing elements to non-print position.

3. In a printing machine, a plurality of printing elements having print and non-print positions, said elements being grouped to form different characters and selectively controlled in various combinations each capable of printing one of said characters, means to move said printing elements from print to non-print position, a latch device cooperating with each printing element to prevent movement thereof from print position, means to select a combination of said printing elements for movement to non-print position, means responsive to the last named means to render ineffective the latch devices associated with the printing elements of said combination to thereby transfer control of the latter elements to said moving means, a print hammer cooperating with the printing elements remaining in print position to print a character subsequent to the movement of said selected combination of rinting elements to non-print position, and restoring means subsequently operated to return said selected combination of printin elements to their print position.

4. In a printing machine, a plurality of printing elements having a normal print position and a non-print position between which they are movable, said elements being grouped to form different characters and selectively controlledv in various combinations each capable of printing one of said characters, record sensing means, an electromagnetic device for each printing element and having means cooperating with its element for releasably maintaining the same against movement from print to non-print position, a circuit energized in response to the sensing of data in a record to actuate certain of said magnetic devices so that said cooperating means will release their printing elements for movement to non-print position, means to move the last named elements to non-print position, and means cooperating with the printing elements remaining in print position to print a character identified by the latter elements.

5. In a printing machine, a print head including a plurality of printing elements having print and non-print positions between which they are movable, said elements being each selectively operable in combination with others to form different groups of said elements each identifying one of a plurality of different characters by a movement of the selected elements from print to non-print position, means to releasably retain all said elements in print position before selection of a combination thereof, record sensing means, a switch for each group of printing elements so formed, a circuit for each of said switches energized in response to said sensing means for closing said switch to thereby select a group of said elements for movement to non-print position, means controlled by the closure of said switch to release the retaining means of the selected group of elements, means to then move said group from print to non-print position, and means cooperating with the remainder of said plurality of elements to print a character formed thereby.

6. In a printing machine, a print head including a plurality of printing elements having print and non-print positions between which they are movable, said elements being each selectively operable in combination with others to form different groups of said elements each identifying one of a plurality of different characters by a movement of the selected elements from print to non-print position, mean to releasably retain all of said elements in print position before selection of a combination thereof, record sensing means, a switch for each group of printing elements so formed, a circuit for each of said switches energized in response to said sensing means for closing said switch to thereby select a group of said elements for movement to nonprint position, means controlled by the closure of said switch to release the retaining means of the selected group of elements, means to move said group from print to non-print position, a print hammer cooperating with the remainder of said plurality of elements to print a character formed by the remaining elements, means to operate said hammer, and electromagnetic means in said circuit energized when said switch is closed to render effective the operating means for said print hammer.

7. In a printing machine, a print head including a plurality of printing devices having a normal print position and each selectively operable in combination with others in said head to form any one of a plurality of different characters, an electromagnetic device individual to and cooperating with each of said printing elements and having means to retain said printing element in its normal position, means to selectively energize a group of said devices to disable their retaining means, means thereupon operable to move the printing elements individual to the energizeddevices from their print position to a non-print position, and means cooperating with those printing elements remaining in print position to print a character formed thereby.

8. In a printing machine, a plurality of movable printing elements having a normal print position and each selectively operable in combination with others to form from the remainder thereof any one of a plurality of complete and difierent characters during a single movement of said selectively operable elements, means to simultaneously move said operable elements from their normal position to a non-print position, normally operative latching devices for said printing elements rendering said moving means ineffective, means to selectively actuate a group of said latching devices to release a corresponding group of printing elements for simultaneous movement to non-print position under control of said moving means, and means then operable to print the character identified by the printing elements whose latching devices remain in operative position.

JOHN J. HYLAND.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,028,037 Lilleberg May 28, 1912 1,489,015 Sherman Apr. 1, 1924 1,853,443 Maul Apr. 12, 1932 2,129,065 Loop Sept. 6, 1938 2,248,522 Conrad July 8, 1941 2,334,534 Ballweg Nov. 16, 1943 2,353,083 Roth July 4, 1944 2,486,985 Ruderfer Nov. 1, 1949 2,524,127 Johnson Oct. 3, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 523,698 Germany Aug. 21, 1933 

